Art and Art History

Departmental News

Two BW Art Professors Win $20,000 Fellowship Awards

Roberta Williamson and Stephanie Craig, Adjunct Art Professors, have won $20,000 each in cash prizes for their efforts in the Art community, through the CPAC organization. They beat out 310 other artists for this honor. Congratulations Roberta and Stephanie!

Prepared by: Community Partnership for Arts and Culture

Twenty Cuyahoga County artists will receive $20,000 awards and additional support services for their outstanding work and innovation in the field. Two more artists will receive a $2,500 Seth Rosenberg Prize. The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC) Board of Trustees ratified and announced the awards today. They based the decision on the recommendation of a seven-member panel of art experts from seven cities outside of Ohio.

"This Fellowship is a tribute to the benefits artists bring to Cuyahoga County," said Tim Mueller, chair of CPAC's Board of Trustees, "and our community's investment in these artists shows our commitment to a strong and vibrant economic future."

310 local craft, design, media and visual artists went through a two-part application process and a four-day public panel review. The panel came together on November 20—23 to review and comment on every application. They concluded unanimously that the 20 applicants selected were best prepared to take on this Fellowship. Panelists based the decision on the artists—quality of work and a statement outlining their plans for the Fellowship year (please see the audience guide for information on the panelists or the panel review process).

In addition to the funds, each award includes a one-year membership to the COSE Arts Network, tuition to the Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute (AEI) and inclusion in a catalogue of Fellows' work.

"We're working to establish a broad support infrastructure for local artists," said Seth Beattie, CPAC Program Manager.

"Funding support is incredibly important to artists, but CPAC believes that we can benefit artists most when we're also addressing their other material needs at the same time."

Two artists are also designated alternates to receive an award should a Fellow be unable to accept it. These individuals receive a Seth Rosenberg Prize. The award, named to commemorate the life and work of late 2009 Fellow Seth Rosenberg, includes $2,500, membership to the COSE Arts Network and a tuition waiver to AEI. Design artist Lizzy Lee and visual artist Michael Abarca were chosen for this award.

CPAC operates the Creative Workforce Fellowship program with a grant it received from Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC), a special unit of government established to receive and distribute local tobacco excise tax revenue dedicated to arts and culture support. CAC provided CPAC funding to administer awards in both 2011 and 2012.

CPAC, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to improving greater Cleveland by ensuring the artistic and economic success of its arts and culture community.